Pressure Control Valve Flow Guide Stabilization

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Proportional pressure control valves in automatic transmissions are sensitive to pressure fluctuations, leading to unstable valve control characteristics due to unpredictable fluid flow characteristics influenced by various parameters and system designs, resulting in differing control behaviors across different transmission systems.

Innovation Solution

A pressure control valve device with a flow guidance system upstream of the first seat valve, which imparts a predetermined flow characteristic, such as swirl flow, to stabilize fluid flow and reduce sensitivity to pressure fluctuations, using guide vanes or channels to direct fluid tangentially around the closing body, thereby smoothing out excitations and improving control quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a pressure control valve device is used in different fluid systems, then it can serve multiple transmission systems, but the control characteristics vary due to different upstream fluid system designs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplicability across different transmission systemsVSAvoidcontrol characteristic consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flow guidance device is installed upstream of the first seat valve to pre-condition the fluid flow before it reaches the valve. This preliminary action imparts a predetermined flow characteristic that stabilizes the flow independently of upstream system variations, ensuring consistent control characteristics across different transmission systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The flow guidance device acts as an intermediary element between the upstream fluid system and the pressure control valve device. It mediates the fluid flow by imposing a predetermined flow characteristic, decoupling the valve device from variations in upstream system design and ensuring reliable control across different applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Speed

If fluid flows directly to the first seat valve without flow guidance, then the valve responds quickly to pressure changes, but pressure fluctuations cause unstable control characteristics

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevalve response speedVSAvoidcontrol stability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flow guidance device serves as an intermediary that conditions the fluid flow before it reaches the first seat valve. It stabilizes pressure fluctuations while maintaining flow direction, thereby improving control stability without significantly compromising valve response speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The flow guidance device changes the flow parameters (velocity distribution, flow direction) of the fluid before it reaches the seat valve. By imparting a predetermined flow characteristic, it stabilizes the flow conditions, reducing the impact of pressure fluctuations while maintaining adequate response speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If the fluid flow characteristics are left unpredictable, then the system design remains simple, but the control behavior differs across identical valves in different systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid system design simplicityVSAvoidcontrol characteristic uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The flow guidance device is incorporated into the pressure control valve device to pre-condition the fluid flow. This preliminary action imposes a predetermined flow characteristic that ensures uniform control behavior across identical valves in different systems, while the flow guidance device itself can be designed with simple geometric features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The proposed solution significantly reduces the impact of pressure fluctuations on the valve, ensuring consistent control characteristics across different fluid systems and enhancing the dynamic controllability and reliability of the pressure control valve device.

Implementation Method 1

A flow guide device (26) is arranged upstream of the first seat valve (23) in the inflow area (P), which imparts a predetermined flow characteristic to the inflowing fluid in the area of the first seat valve (23), in particular a swirl flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSwirl flow: Vortex Ring

Implementation Method 2

The flow guidance device is in particular formed in such a way that the fluid flowing in from the inlet area is essentially guided around the closing body of the first seat valve, in particular in the form of a thin-walled flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTangential flow guidance: Coanda Effect

Data Source

PatentEP2734902B1Pressure control valve apparatus having a flow-guiding device
Publication Date: 2015.07.22 ZF FRIEDRICHSHAFEN AG
  • EP2734902B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2734902B1 patent drawingFigure 2~2a
  • EP2734902B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3e

AI summary

The invention relates to a pressure control valve apparatus (10) for a fluid, having at least one inflow region (P) and a first and a second outflow region (A, T) which can be fluidically connected to one another via two seat valves (23, 24) coupled to one another, wherein a fluid inflow from the inflow region (P) to the first and second outflow regions (A, T) can be set by means of the first seat valve (23) and a fluid outflow between the first and second outflow regions (A, T) can be set by means of the second seat valve (24). In this case, a flow-guiding device (26) is arranged upstream of the first seat valve (23) in the inflow region (P) and impresses a predefined flow characteristic on the inflowing fluid in the region of the first seat valve (23).